Adenomyosis uteri

Abstract Traditionally, the term adenomyosis denotes the presence of endometrial glands and stroma deep within the myometrium. Until recently, the diagnosis could only be made after hysterectomy by which time its clinical relevance was merely academic. This is not the only reason why adenomyosis has been neglected in the last few decades. The wide range of pathological criteria used to define adenomyosis, and differences in myometrial sampling, have hindered many attempts to correlate the presence of these ectopic endometrial foci with a specific clinical syndrome. Although adenomyosis is apparently associated with menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea, current confusion is so profound that some even doubt its clinical relevance.